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And now I'm really home...

Over the past six months, I re-created my old Hasselblad kit. That is an SWC and a 500CM with 80 and 150 mm lenses. I just picked up the first four rolls of film I shot with these two cameras. Stunning. Amazing. Beautiful rendering from these lenses. The images just pop right there on the negative. Cant wait to scan and print.

Re: And now I'm really home...

Thanks again!

It might be a week or two before I have time to fire up the scanner, but I'll be posting photos from these four rolls.

The SWC's Zeiss Biogon 38mm T* lens is why I sold off my entire Leica M kit in 2002 to obtain one the first time I owned an SWC (a 903SWC model). The one I picked up at the end of last year is 1978 model, with the Compur shutter, but it's the same lens. It's ability to hold huge amounts of detail and near perfect rectilinear correction right out to the corners and edges is legendary, and the legend is true.

It's also just a shockingly fun camera to shoot people photos with. :-)

Re: And now I'm really home...

Godfrey,

Still have my 500C/M, 40, 80, and 150 lenses. The SWC has always been a camera I wanted but could never justify. The kit just sits there gathering dust. I guess if I had a good scanner, I would be tempted to go buy some film.

Congratulations on your renewed interest in film. Sometimes it takes that kind of interest to get our creative juices flowing.

Re: And now I'm really home...

What's funny to me is that I could never justify the SWC either, but I wanted one for over 35 years and just went for it back in 2002. It inspired my interest in the 500CM then, and the exact same pattern happened this time too.

Re: And now I'm really home...

Originally Posted by Godfrey

Over the past six months, I re-created my old Hasselblad kit. That is an SWC and a 500CM with 80 and 150 mm lenses. I just picked up the first four rolls of film I shot with these two cameras. Stunning. Amazing. Beautiful rendering from these lenses. The images just pop right there on the negative. Cant wait to scan and print.

Re: And now I'm really home...

Originally Posted by m43

Wonderful IF only you had the Digital back's

It would be fun to work with, but the SWC lens is questionable with a digital back and the cropping one imposes changes the look the lens presents. I've pretty much decided to keep with film and scanning for Hasselblad use. If I want to go MF digital, I will likely buy other equipment designed with the format and sensor in mind.

Re: And now I'm really home...

Originally Posted by Godfrey

It would be fun to work with, but the SWC lens is questionable with a digital back and the cropping one imposes changes the look the lens presents. I've pretty much decided to keep with film and scanning for Hasselblad use. If I want to go MF digital, I will likely buy other equipment designed with the format and sensor in mind.

I agree. A number of friends have suggested the digital back route to me but then you lose the character of the film you shoot with. And the cropping is a nonsense for a lens like the SWC.

Re: And now I'm really home...

Originally Posted by Godfrey

Over the past six months, I re-created my old Hasselblad kit. That is an SWC and a 500CM with 80 and 150 mm lenses. I just picked up the first four rolls of film I shot with these two cameras. Stunning. Amazing. Beautiful rendering from these lenses. The images just pop right there on the negative. Cant wait to scan and print.

Re: And now I'm really home...

Hi Godfrey, how are you finding the SWC again. I am at a cross roads with my photography and have decided to move on a couple of cameras and get an SWC. Have always wanted one and I think the scale focus aspect of it suits my style. Am a mainly tripod shooting guy. Everyone raves about them so I am definitely going to push the button.

Re: And now I'm really home...

Originally Posted by Hausen

Hi Godfrey, how are you finding the SWC again. I am at a cross roads with my photography and have decided to move on a couple of cameras and get an SWC. Have always wanted one and I think the scale focus aspect of it suits my style. Am a mainly tripod shooting guy. Everyone raves about them so I am definitely going to push the button.

Both: Hasselblad 500SWC + Ilford XP2 Super

I love the darned thing.

I've had so little time to do any shooting, never mind processing and scanning, that I just finally scanned the three rolls I exposed with it at the beginning of May this past weekend, and have had time to process just two frames from them so far. The results are very pleasing, to my eye anyway. ;-)

The SWC is a natural for a tripod, and the DoF is so great that only with the very near field work do you have to be super careful. For that situation, the ground-glass back and a magnifying viewfinder do a terrific job to get critical focus nailed. As a field camera for ultrawide work, it is pretty small and light, and the interchangeable backs means you can carry several different film types and shoot them intermixed. That's a big advantage over a camera like the Bessa IIIw.

Re: And now I'm really home...

Well I didn't get an SWC. An Arcbody come up for sale on NZ version of eBay. Mint condition and with 35 and 45mm lenses and I couldn't resist. Am mainly a landscape/cityscape on tripod guy so I couldn't be happier. Love the shots above and will post some from my new toy soon. Pick it up in 5 hours I am home as well now. Just love 6x6, has always been my favorite format.

Re: And now I'm really home...

Originally Posted by Hausen

Well I didn't get an SWC. An Arcbody come up for sale on NZ version of eBay. Mint condition and with 35 and 45mm lenses and I couldn't resist. Am mainly a landscape/cityscape on tripod guy so I couldn't be happier. Love the shots above and will post some from my new toy soon. Pick it up in 5 hours I am home as well now. Just love 6x6, has always been my favorite format.

That's real nice, good luck with it! And thank you for the compliment!